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The Notebook,
in particular, gained extra attention and infamy when it was recently
turned into a movie which appealed to both young and older audiences
with its mix of stories in two timelines and a cast of 'hot' new actors
and several veteran stars.
This time the story focuses on a
couple, who aren't so much 'hot' as they are '50-ish', who meet by
accident but soon overcome their bad past personal relationships to
generate a love that evolves through a series of letters culminating in
a major traumatic event.
The film features Richard Gere and
Diane Lane who team up for the third time, this being the first time
the duo have shared the screen since the moderate 2002 success Unfaithful.
As
there always seems to be with any Gere film, there are plenty of
close-ups on offer throughout, however this time around such shots tend
to highlight his age quite significantly.
Gere has been around
for a long time, having been a leading man in films since the 1980s,
without forgetting his days of co-starring in several thrillers in the
late 1970s.
And although sixteen years younger than Gere, Lane
is a surprisingly good match for him and they really have a certain
ease and chemistry when performing together.
I remember Lane when she was just a thirteen year old appearing in her first film with Sir Laurence Olivier in A Little Romance in 1979. It must be said that she has matured extremely well since then!
Thankfully, the years of wear and tear (both actors have a certain weathered/leathery look to them) tend to add significantly to the mood of Nights In Rodanthe and the story is ultimately stronger for it.
Of the other actors in the film, James Franco (Milk, Freaks & Geeks, Pineapple Express) may be the
one who many of the younger audience may know.
However, it is Scott
Glenn who impresses most. He has a small, but pivotal, role which he
plays in an understated way and his appearance is even more leathery than
Gere's - but it only seems to make his character even more believable.
Much like the recent Colin Farrell release, In Bruges,
the movie's title may be a little off-putting for Australian audiences
(is it "Rod-an", "Rothan", "Roto-dan-a-thee", who knows!) , but it
refers to the location where most of the action takes place - a real
life seaside village called Rodanthe which is apparently on an island
near New York.
In fact, the house where the two major
stars meet is a character in itself – a sort of gothic multi-storey
shack built right on the beachfront which is constantly exposed to the
weather.
A special mention must also be made of the sound effects
during the storm sequences. They are astonishingly effective and
generate a sense of what it would be like to be in the middle of a
hurricane.
While often slow moving, Nights In Rodanthe will appeal to the two ends of the age spectrum – the "Twenty Somethings" who enjoyed The Notebook
(who will come back for the love story in itself), while the older
generation will appreciate the same story promising a 'second chance'
at love in their future! DVD EXTRAS with Sean Lynch
The film was a surprise hit in Australia, and a long-stayer as well.
Sure it was during a few of the "quieter weeks" of the year - but a
stint a #1 is a stint at #1 in any mans language.
So it's a tad surprising that the extras are fairly skint here - perhaps it's just assumed the target demographics for Rodanthe have enough trouble mastering turning on the DVD player, let along navigate the Special Features.
For
those who can figure out the buttons, there are a hand full of deleted
and extended sequences here... as if the movie wasn't long enough!
Conclusion:
Movie 75% Extras: 50%
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